what are you really?
by proletaricat
Summary: Nobody knows Keith's ethnicity. It isn't even listed in the Paladin Handbook that was made for them. Cuban, Samoan, Italian, Japanese... but Keith's listing was a simple 'human/galra'. Lance isn't okay with that. He's a curious boy and he wants to know! You'd think what better way to find out than to ask Keith, right? Wrong.


Keith knew something was up the second Lance sat down in front of him, hands on his thighs as he leaned forward. "Mullet. I have a question for you."

"No thank you," Keith responded, standing and preparing to leave. Whenever Lance got that _look_ he knew nothing good was about to happen.

"Hey, don't leave! It's important!"

Keith gave Lance an unimpressed look before sighing and sitting back down, eyes narrowed at the fellow paladin in suspicion. "What is it?" He was impatient. Whenever Lance had _questions_ or _ideas_ it was never anything good.

"Just… what are you?"

He didn't understand the question. "What do you mean '_what are you_'?"

"Like… I'm Cuban, Pidge is Italian, Shiro's Japanese… what are _you_?"

Oh god. This question. This question that he got constantly at the Garrison, and before that, and throughout his entire life. It haunted him, following him everywhere. Normally it was white people asking, though.

"Do you ever get that question?" Keith responded.

"Uh, yeah, but I'm proud to be Cuban so I rep it 24/7."

"It doesn't annoy you to be asked constantly?"

Lance shrugged. "I grew up in Hialeah, so it didn't really happen that often."

Keith sighed, brain racing to think of ways to avoid the interrogation that would follow.

"So what are you?" Lance asked again. "I'm curious."

"Clearly you are if you're asking that question."

"Are you going to answer me?"

"No." Keith stood again, irritation growing. He didn't have time for this. How was his ethnicity important? Why did Lance need to know? Nobody else on the team had asked. He supposed, though, that Lance asking him fit his personality. Nosy and obnoxious.

"Come on," Lance whined. "You know ours, it's only fair we know yours!"

Keith gritted his teeth. He considered his choices. Telling Lance would possibly mean an end to the interrogation, assuming he wouldn't continue to ask questions _about_ his ethnicity. Not telling Lance would mean continually being bothered. He was struck with sudden inspiration, smirking to himself. He schooled his expression into a neutral one, sitting down again and turning to face Lance. "Okay. I'll tell you."

"Hell yeah! Okay, lay it on me, mullet. What are you."

"I'm…" Keith paused for dramatic effect. "I'm human." He was deadpan, expression blank.

"Uh… but what kind of human…?"

"I'm mixed."

"Mixed what? Like… which ethnicities?"

"Human and Galra." He still wasn't wholly comfortable with being Galra but if admitting it helped him torment Lance he would do it. He could see the paladin's mounting irritation and it was a beautiful expression.

"That's not what I asked."

"You asked what type of human, Lance. Are mixed ethnicities invalid?"

"No! No. That's not what I mean. I just—okay, so if you're part Galra, then what's the other side?"

"I told you, it's human."

Lance groaned, rolling his eyes. "I _know_ you understand what I'm asking. You're dense but not _that_ dense."

"Thank you for the compliment." Perhaps his comment didn't sound so sincere, but really, how else was Keith supposed to respond?

"It wasn't—_Keith_. Just tell me. What's the big deal?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"It doesn't matter, I just want to know! I'm curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"I'm not a cat, Keith."

Keith squinted, analyzing Lance. "You're kind of annoying like one. Constantly meowing for attention. Interrupting people. Sleeping too much."

"Okay, number one, fuck you. Number two, just tell me!"

"Also, if it doesn't matter, then why do you care?"

"I don't know! I just do! Why won't you tell me?"

"I already did."

"That doesn't count! What type of human?!"

"Well, according to a test I once took, I'm an INTP." He couldn't contain his obvious amusement at Lance's growing frustration.

"Oh my god," Lance breathed. "No. Ethnicities, Keith."

"What about them?"

"Which _human_ ethnicity or ethnicities are you."

"Which one do you think I am?"

"You can't respond to questions with another question!"

"But I just did. Is it a law? Did I break a law?"

"It's not a law, it's just _fucking_ annoying."

Keith shrugged. "Well, I'm curious what you think I am."

"I don't fucking know, that's the point!"

"You don't even have a guess?"

Lance sighed, clenching his fists. "Really? _Really_, Keith? Just tell me!"

"Why don't you care about the Galra part? I don't really appreciate you erasing a whole part of me by only placing importance on me being part human."

"I don't give a fuck about your goddamn Galra side, I want to know the _human_ side."

Keith frowned, crossing his arms. "That's offensive. Why would I answer that question? You're being so rude to me."

It was then that Shiro entered the room. He could feel the tension in the room and stepped back, making to leave again.

"Shiro!" Lance yelled, stopping the black paladin in his steps.

"Yes, Lance?" Shiro asked, turning to face the two.

"What's Keith's ethnicity? He won't tell me. You two are close, so you _have_ to know."

Shiro opened his mouth to respond, closed it, glanced to Keith, and then responded to Lance's question. "Yeah, we're close."

"That's… that's not… why are you like this?"

"You're being quite rude," Keith chimed in, defending Shiro.

Lance's frustration was palpable. "Just… tell me, please. What is Keith?"

"Well…" Shiro paused, considering. "He's a paladin of Voltron, for starters."

"Holy shit," Lance groaned. "What human ethnicity is Keith!"

"He's mixed, Lance. I thought you knew that?"

Though he was silent, Keith's shoulders were shaking with laughter.

"Yes, I knew that! Mixed! What kind of mixed!"

"He's part Galra."

"Fuck you, Shiro! You know what I'm asking!"

"Don't swear at me, Lance. I'm your leader, you should respect me."

Silence filled the room. Lance wanted to scream. "Yes. Okay. I get it. Keith is part human and part Galra, but I want to know about the human side of him – which ethnicity is Keith?"

"Why do you think it's only one…?" Keith asked.

"Ethnicities, then! For fuck's sake, this is getting annoying."

"It's only one ethnicity."

"Then why—what—fuck you! What ethnicity!"

"Human."

Lance pulled on his hair, standing with a growl of exasperation. "You're Galra. You're human. Let's talk about the human part of you – of all the nationalities on Earth, which one is your human side from?"

"It would be more accurate to say that I'm _part_ Galra, and _part_ human. If you just say 'you're Galra' and 'you're human' it sounds like you're contradicting yourself."

"Keith's right. You should be more specific or you might confuse somebody."

"I'm talking to _you two_, though. You know what I'm talking about!"

"I'm just saying. For future reference."

Lance wanted to murder them both. "Tell. me. what. you. are."

Keith wondered if he should take pity on him. He opened his mouth to respond, and the sudden sound of a siren interrupted them.

"Paladins, get to your lions! There is a Galra warship headed our way!"

Lance's cursed his poor luck. "Kill me now," he grumbled, walking towards the door.

"Let's wait to see if the Galra do it first," Keith said quietly as he passed Lance, grinning.

"Cadets!" Shiro's voice rang with warning, despite having learned trying to control either paladin was futile. His only hope was that Lance didn't attempt to ask Keith again during the fight.


End file.
